INFORMATION #2 12-06-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INFORMATION innesota Success Stories: Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Elk River Ice Arena Location: Elk River Efficiency improvements: new lighting, low-emissivity ceiling, boiler system replacement Project cost: $142,000 Utility rebate +EECBG grant: $100,000 Grant enables Elk River energy efficiency project Elk River, Minnesota, is proactive about energy savings. The city earned "Energy City" status in 1997 from the Minnesota F,nvironmental Initiative, and it has been a model for efficient and renewable energy ever since. So when the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security (OF..S) announced its competitive Energ}• Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program in December 2009, it was no surprise that Elk River jumped at the opporttinitj-. The city proposed retrofitting its ice arena with various energy- efficiency improvements such as new lighting, aloes-emissivity ceiling, and a boiler system replacement. "The Elk River project was an excellent fit for our grant," said Jeremy de Fiebre, supervisor of the State Energy Program and EECBG. "It is doing what EECBG intended: saving energy reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and providing jobs." The Elk River grant proposal was approved ui February 2010. By September, the $142,000 project was complete. EECBG covered almost t<vo-thirds of the project's cost. After nearly $13,000 in utility rebates, Elk River paid just $42,000. ~x'ith an estimated payback period of five years, the project should enable the city to earn a handsome return on its investment. "It's been awin-win project," said Tim Simon, finance director fox Elk River. "«'e're saving Elk River money and saving energy at the same time." The retrofits have allowed Elk River to continue operating its ice arena at a high level of service, while reducing overall energy consumption and decreasing operat- ing costs. The city will use the ice arena retrofit as a model for its future energy-ef- ficient improvements. It is conducting energy benchmarkiiig of the facility and will track energy-use data over the nest tluee years for OES. EECBG attracts range of projects The Elk River Ice Arena retrofit is just one of dozens of municipal energy-effi- ciency projects completed or in progress across the state. Madison Lake replaced its failing HVAC system at City Hall. Pavnesville did the same and added more efficient lighting to its Fire Hall. Franklin is in the process of adding a new district heating system fueled by biomass, while Ely is conducting a study on the cost of a city- wide district heating system. All of the projects were funded by OES through the F,ECBG program. The EECBG program got a big boost in 2009 when OES received $10.4 million for the program from the American Recovery and Reinvesrinent Act. Silty percent of those funds were earmarked for competitive grants to cities and counties, such as Elk River, that were not eligible to receive direct formula grants from the U.S. Elk River made several efficiency improvements to its ice arena, including an innovative low- emissivityceiling that reduces the refrigeration load for the ice sheet. (over)